Well drill



nec. '15, 925- 1,565,906

- L. B. CLINTON WELL DRILL Filed May 2, 1925 2 sneetysneep 1 Wan/E65:-

Patented Dec. 15, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,555,905 PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS BURL CLINTON, OF DURANT, OKLAHOMA.

XVELL DRILL.

Application filed May 2, 1925. Serial No. 27,486.

It is an object of the invention to rovide' a drill device so arranged that its rill-bit will form a core somewhat smaller than the barrel to which it is attached, so thatthe core will be retained practically intact in the barrel, in order that it may exhibit the strata and other characteristics of the formations from which it is taken.

' Another object of the invention is so to arrange a valve in the barrel that a core can move upwardly past it without rupture and which retains the core and other matter in the barrel until it is withdrawn.

Still another object ofthe invention is to provide a device of this charactenso arranged that water in suflicient quantities is supplied to the drill-bit from the drill-stem to whichthe device is connected.

When considered with the description herein, the characteristics of the invention are ap arent from the accompanying drawings, orming part hereof, wherein an embodiment is disclosed, for purposes of illustration.

Although the, disclosures exemplify'what now is considered to be a preferable embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that it is not the intention to be limited necessarily thereto in interpretation of the claims, as modifications and adapta Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4, Fi 1;

' Fig. 5 is a view of the valve; Fig. (i is an end view of the drill-bit.

The device includes a drill-bit having a body 7, from which. teeth 8 extend downwardly. The peripheral surface of the teeth and body tapers slightly from the bottom toward the top, to avoid binding in the drilled hole. A substantially vertical passage or chamber 9 extends through the bit and inside of the teeth, which are arranged therearound, and the passage tapers from.

between the teeth to a slightly larger diameter toward the top, to prevent binding of the cutcore therein. The teeth curve down- .wardly and forwardly and taper to their lower or cutting edges, and this curved formation is such that as the tooth material wears the cutting edges at the same time are sharpened. -A peripheral groove 10 extends upwardly from in front of each to th to permit upward movement of cuttings.

The upper end of the bit has an annular channel or groove 11, from which water passages 12 lead to places of discharge between the teeth. An exteriOrly-threaded nipple 13 positioned inside of the channel extends upwardly from the bit body, and it is arranged to be screwed into the interiorlythreaded power end portion of a core-barrel 14, whereby the bit is connected thereto.

The core-barrel is of slightly less exterior diameter and of slightly larger interior diameter than the drillbit, whereby cuttings and other matter passing upwardly outside of the bit may continue movement in the hole outside of the barrel and whereby the core formed inside of the bit may move freely and intact into the barrel. The lower end of the barrel, after the nipple is screwed home, seats snugly against the upper end ofthe bit and covers the channel 11, and in its wall there are water-passages 15 extending from its upper end to the channel.

A clip 16 on the exterior of the barrel extends across an elongated longitudinal seat or groove 17 in the barrel. The seat accommodates an arm 18, which normally is held in place by the clip, and extends at an angle from and is a part of the valve-stem 19. The stem extends into the wall of the barrel in secant disposition with respect to the periphery thereof, and a valve 20 is mounted swingably on the intermediateporv tion of the stem and extends upwardly end against the barrel.

' threaded. lower therefrom. sheet metal, it is or approximately elliptical --Vents extend from the interior to the exterior of-the barrel near its upper end,

to permit exit from the barrel of soft mud, water, etc, that may pass the valve or collect while lowering the device. into a well.

The vents also permit exit of such matter while a core is being formed and as it moves into the barrel. The barrel is threaded interiorly above the vents to hold therein an exteriorly-threaded plug 23. The barrel is exteriorly threaded at ifs upper end, whereby it may be connected to an interiorlyend of a drill-stem 2st. l/Vater is supplied to the device through such a stem, and the plug prevent-s its passage into the interior of the barrel and causes it to seek outlet through the longitudinal passages of the barrel to the bit. The water -thus supplied to the bit keeps it cool, softens material through which the bit is working, and washes the cuttings upwardly to the exterior of the barrel.

Forthe usual run of operations for the taking of a core as a sample of the forma-- tions through which a well is being driven,

the barrel is some twenty feet long, and the and the spring is of such strength that it ahead of the core.

" s against the side to prevent it rrem causes the e t pthe core ust enoug descending out of the ter is being withdrawn from a well, without breaking it. The valve also prevents descent of other matter that may accumulate in the barrel and causes it to seek exit tl'1rough the vents.

After the'barrel has been withdrawn from a well, and it is desired to remove the core from its bottom rather than'irom its top, the valve may be released by releasing the hold of the clip 16 on the arm '18, pulling that arm outwardly of the seat 17, and then pulling the stem 19 out of the barrel. Then the valve is free to fall out of the barrel in its top, water-passages leading from said channel to spaces ,between said teeth, and anupwardly-extendingnipple inside of said channel; a barrel abutting against the top of said drill-bit, connected thereto by said" nipple, containing longitudinal water-passages leading to said channel, and having a vent extending from the interior to the exterior of its upper portion; a removable plug above said vent; an upwardly-openingvalvein the lower portion of said barrel arranged when open to lie closely against its wall; and means whereby a hollow drillstem is secured to the upper portion of said barrel in communication with the waterpassages therein- In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

LOUIS BURL CLINTON.

rrei, while the lat- After the core is withvdrawn, and when the device is'to be'made 

